Window header construction



Sept'. 17, 1957 w. FALL 2,806,437

wINnow HEADER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 17, 1954 l/Vlfrid LFall .Anomqgnite States wlNnow naman coNsrnncrroN Application August 17, 1954,Serial No. 450,341

Claims. (Cl. 10S- 397) The present invention relates to a window headerconstruction and arrangement for railway passenger cars, and moreparticularly to such a construction and arrangement in which acontinuous header forms a curtain box at each window and provides forunimpeded raising of window sashes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedcontinuous window header construction in a railway passenger car whichdoes not require sectioning of the side posts and which in additionprovides window curtain boxes between posts and allows unirnpededraising of window sash.

Another object is the provision of a combined window header and curtainbox construction for railway passenger cars which is continuous tostrengthen the car side wall yet does not require slotting foraccommodation of raised window sash, and provides integral housings forwindow curtains between side posts.

Another object is the provision of a continuous window header forrailway passenger cars forming window curtain boxes between the sideposts while bracing and tying together the posts to strengthen the carside wall.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a continuouswindow header for railway passenger cars strengthening the side wall anddefining openings between side posts for accommodating raised windowsashes.

Another object is the provision of a continuous window header forrailway passenger cars which additionally provides part of the interiorfinish of the car.

Other and further objects, advantages, and features of the inventionwill be apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdescription, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a broken cross section through the side of a railway passengercar incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2. is an enlarged horizontal section taken as indicated by the line2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 1 with windowsash and curtain applied.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a channel member extendshorizontally along the inner faces of hollow side posts and above thewindows in the side wall with its web vertical and its flangeshorizontal and directed toward the sheathing on the outer faces of theposts. The upper flange is wider than the lower flange, and is coped orcut out at intervals corresponding to the spacing of the posts so as toembrace the posts, the depth of the cut-outs or notches being less thanthat of the posts so that the edge of the upper or wider flange isspaced from the sheathing. The lower flange of the channel member isnarrower than the other flange, and its edge abuts against the innerfaces of the posts. The channel member, serving as a window header, issecured to the posts by welds at the edges of the flanges. In each sidepost is secured a stifener plate located in the plane of the widerflange. Curtain brackets are secured within the channel member formounting curtains at the Winatent ICC dows, the window header thusacting as a multiple curtain box and eliminating the need for individualcurtain boxes and the application thereof. The arrangement of the headerwith the posts and sheathing provides openings between posts forallowing window sash to be raised,

without necessitating the cutting of slots in the header for thispurpose. The construction and arrangement also provides the advantagesof a continuous header strengthening the side wall, and additionallyallows the posts to be continuous, instead of being interrupted toaccommodate the header, thus resulting in greater strength and easierassembly. The header also serves as part of the interior finish of thecar, requiring no concealing molding or the like.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a railway passengercar side wall comprising a plurality of vertical side posts 10, only oneof which is shown, extending from the bottom of the car to the`Z-section side plate 11, making connection between the side wall androof. The posts 10 are of hat section and arranged with their websinward and their flanges outward, all as best shown in Fig. 2, and areformed of two vertically aligned parts between which extends `a.`Z-section belt rail or sash rest 12, welded or otherwise secured to thetwo parts of' each of the posts. Along the inner faces of the posts issecured the wainscot 13, extending from the floor to somewhat above thesash rail, and on the outer faces of the posts there is supported thesheathing 14, in which are formed window openings 15 such as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, the lower edges of which are slightly above the sash rest12. Above each window opening 15 there extends horizontally between theside posts 10 adjacent the opening a shallow hat-section stiffener 16welded by its web to the inner face of the sheathing 14. Corrugatedreinforcing plates 17 also extending between adjacent posts furtherrigidify and strengthen the sheathing, being welded to the inner facethereof. A window sash frame 18 is suitably mounted in the car walladjacent each of the window openings 15, as will be clear from Fig. 3,the frame being of general U-shape open at the top with verticalchannels or guides in its upright side portions for vertically slidablesash 19 and a curtain hereinafter described.

A continuous window header in the form of a channel member 20 having oneflange 21 narrower than the other flange 22 is provided. The widerflange 22 has its edge cut away or indented at intervals to define aseries of copes or notches in its edge of a depth equal to thedifference in width of the two flanges, and less than the depth of theside posts 10, as evident from the drawings, spaced along the member 20in correspondence with the spacing of the side posts along which themember extends. Each notch or cope is of such size and shape that theindented edge portions of the flange defining it may snugly embrace theinner portion of a side post, that is, it corresponds to the innerportion of the cross section of the side post, in this casesubstantially rectangular. The channel member 20 is disposedhorizontally along the inner faces of the side posts 10 somewhat abovethe window openings, more or less opposite the stifeners 16. The web ofthe channel member is substantially vertical and spaced inwardly fromthe posts, the flanges 21 and 22 being substantially horizontal anddirected toward the sheathing 14. The wider flange 22 is uppermost andhas its edge spaced from the sheathing so `as to lie inwardly of theplane of the channels or guides in the sash frame 18 in which the sash19 is slidable, the posts being embraced by the edge portions of theflange 22 which detine its copes or notches. The lower or narrowerflange 21 has its edge abutting the inner faces of the posts. The widerflange 22 is secured to the posts as by welds along the edge portionsthereof embracing the posts and the narrower flange 2l is secured at itsedge by welds or other suitable means to the inner surfaces of theposts. In each post lt) there is a stiffener plate 23 substantiallyclosing the post, secured by welding or other appropriate means insubstantially the plane of the upper or wider flange 22 of the channelmember 20.

A side plate reinforcement 24 extends along the inner portion of theside plate ll and upper ends of the posts l@ and provides for theattachment of the adjacent edge of the ceiling and of the upper edge ofa frieze 25. The frieze is formed by a suitable sheet extending betweenthe reinforcement 24 and the window header member 2li, its lower edgebeing secured to the upper face of the latter by screws as shown orother suitable means.

The portions of the window header between the side posts l0 providehollow sections opening inwardly, or in the direction of the sheathingle, and narrower at the bottom portion than at the top. The hollowsections adjacent window openings l5 conveniently serve as housings orboxes for roller curtains 26, which are mounted in the boxes by suitablecurtain brackets 27' secured within the header as by spot-welding ofbracket flanges to the wide upper flange 22 of the header member. Thelower portions of the curtains 26 are arranged for movement in thechannel guides of the sash frames 18 in the usual manner. Trim moldingincluding an upper molding portion 23 (Fig. 3) is applied to conceal thejoints between the sash frame i8 and the interior finish of the car, theportion 2S fitting closely against the lower llange 2l of the channelmember 20.

The disposition of the outer edge of the wide flange 22 of the channelmember 2h in spaced relation to the sheathing 14 provides openingsdefined by each pair of posts and the flange 22 and sheathing 14 orstifener lo through which a sash 19 may pass when it is raised, as willbe evident particularly from Fig. 3. A stop 29 (Fig. l) is providedabove each sash to limit its upward movement. The stop may be of anysuitable form, as a channel member extending horizontally between andwelded at its ends to side posts at opposite sides of the windowopening, and may have resilient or other cushioning bumper means on itslower side for engagement by the raised sash 19. The invention may beemployed in cars with fixed sash, in which case the stop 29 is notrequired.

It is to be noted that while the window header is continuous, so thatmaximum strengthening and bracing of the side wall is effected, it doesnot require the side posts lil to be formed in two portions or sectionsso that the header may extend substantially to the sheathing. Thisresults in manufacturing economy and better side post construction. Atthe same time, the spacing of the window header flange 22 from thesheathing provides openings to allow raising of the window sashes,without requiring the formation of slots in the header for this purpose,as is the common present practice. Since the purpose of headersextending substantially to the outer wall sheathing is to providemaximum strength, and the slotting thereof necessarily detracts from thestrength which can be provided, such constructions are largely if notentirely self-defeating. The construction disclosed accomplishessubstantially in full the structural vresults of such slotted windowheader arrangements, and in addition achieves its own particularadvantages. ln prior constructions, also, individual mounting boxes orhousings for the roller curtains, separate from the window header, havebeen necessary, so that additional material has been required for theboxes and time-consuming installation of each individual curtain boxnecessitated. The window header disclosed itself provides the curtainboxes for the several windows when it is secured in place, eliminatingboth the need for individual or separate boxes and the separate installation thereof. The curtain brackets may conveniently be assembled withthe header member before the member is (itl applied, although they mayalso readily be secured in place after the member has been positioned.The termination of the lower flange of the header member at the innerfaces of the side posts facilitates mounting the curtain rollers in thebrackets. The window header according to the present invention alsoserves as part of the interior finish of the car, requiring no coveringor concealing member and lending itself to decorative treatment in thesame manner as the frieze 25, wainscot f3, or inner wall por tions suchas pier panels between windows. This again saves material, time, andlabor. lt will be apparent that the invention provides a veryadvantageous window header construction and arrangement.

What is claimed is:

l. A window header construction for a railway passenger car havingsheathing on the outer faces of hollow section side posts, comprising acontinuous member of channel section secured horizontally along theinner faces of the posts with its web substantially vertical and itsflanges extending outwardly toward the sheathing, Athe upper flange ofsaid member being wider than the lower flange and having its edge spacedfrom the sheathing and formed with indentations of less depth than theposts and embracing the inner post portions and the lower flange havingits edge abutting the inner faces of the posts, and a stiffener platesecured in each of the posts substantially in the plane of said widerllange.

2. A combined Window header and curtain box construction for a railwaypassenger car having sheathing on the outer faces of vertical sideposts, comprising a continuous member of channel section securedhorizontally along the inner faces of the posts with its websubstantially vertical and its flanges extending outwardly toward thesheathing, the upper flange of said member being wider than the lowerflange and having its edge spaced from the sheathing and formed withindentations of less depth than the posts and embracing the inner postportions and the lower flange having its edge abutting the inner facesof the posts.

3. A combined window header and curtain box construction for a railwaypassenger car having spaced vertical side posts, comprising a continuousmember of channel section secured horizontally along the inner faces ofposts with its web substantially vertical and its flanges extending inthe direction of the outer post faces, the .pper flange of said memberbeing wider than the lower liange and having notches formed in its edgespaced and shaped to embrace the side posts and the lower flange havingits edge abutting the inner faces of the posts.

4. ln a railway passenger car side wall including spaced hollow sideposts with wall sheathing secured on the outer faces thereof and windowswith raisable sash between pairs of the posts, the improvementcomprising a continuous member of channel section secured horizontally`along the inner faces of the posts above 'the windows with its websubstantially vertical and its flanges extending outwardly toward thesheathing the upper ilange of said member being wider than the lowerilange and having its edge spaced from the sheathing and formed withindentations of less depth than the posts and embracing the innerportions and the lower flange having its edge abutting the inner facesof the posts, and a stiffener plate secured in each of the postssubstantially in the plane of said wider flange.

5. ln a railway passenger car side wall construction, outer sheathingprovided with spaced window openings, spaced vertical posts disposed`adjacent the window openings and each having one side secured to thesheathing, a horizontal continuous member of channel section disposedadjacent the upper edges of the window openings on the other sides ofthe posts and having its web` substantially vertical and its flangesextending toward the sheathing, the upper flange of the member beingwider than the lower flange and provided with spaced notches and theposts being disposed in the notches and bearing against the walls of thenotches and the lower flange having its edge abutting the posts, andmeans at the notches securing the member to the posts, the memberserving to strengthen the side wall and as a housing 5 for curtains.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES VPATENTS VogelSept. 13, 1904 Miller July 10, 1934 Thompson Apr. 7, 1936 Ragsdale Apr.16, 1940 Blomberg June 24, 1941

